Scottish Executive

Alzheimer's Disease

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in the light of the study by Alzheimer Scotland that stated that people that look after dementia sufferers are more likely to take prescribed medication and suffer from stress than other carers.

Mr Frank McAveety: I welcome the report by Alzheimer Scotland, which arose from a three-year project, funded by the Executive, into the support needs of carers of people with dementia. We are working hard to support all carers, particularly those with heavy caring responsibilities. We have increased the resources available to local authorities to support carers from £5 million a year in 1999 to £21 million a year in 2003-04. As part of that we have provided authorities with significant new resources to create an additional 22,000 weeks of short breaks each year by 2003-04, benefiting many carers, including carers of people with dementia. Our continued commitment to improve mental health services and to create more integrated and effective health and social care services will also help to improve the support systems available to carers of people with dementia and the people they care for.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can indicate when it will be consulted by the Home Office on the establishment of any accommodation centre in Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: Decisions about the siting of accommodation centres within the UK are a reserved matter and are the responsibility of the Home Office. Under the terms of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, there is an obligation on the Home Secretary to consult Scottish ministers about any proposal to site such a centre in Scotland. The Home Secretary will undertake such a consultation if and when any such proposal has been developed.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32391 by Mr Frank McAveety on 15 January 2003, when comprehensive information on the number of people now recognised as having an autistic spectrum disorder will be available centrally.

Mr Frank McAveety: There are no specific plans to collect this information centrally at present. A project to evaluate the effectiveness of the National Special Needs System (SNS) and to discover how effectively the needs of relevant children (aged zero to 19) and their families are being met is, however, under way. This is funded by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) and is addressing data recording issues within SNS and other similar local systems, focussing on five indicator conditions one of which includes autism. It is intended that the results of this project will indicate how effective data recording is for children with special needs in Scotland.

  The IM & T strategy for NHSScotland includes the objective that every board/trust should have SNS available by 2004. SNS is currently implemented in eight NHS boards/trusts throughout Scotland.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32391 by Mr Frank McAveety on 15 January 2003, what formula it used to determine from sample information nationally that greater numbers of people are being recognised as having autistic spectrum disorder.

Mr Frank McAveety: Information about greater numbers of people recognised as having autistic spectrum disorder was not derived from sample information nationally. The Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report reported that most recent studies have found higher prevalence rates than previous studies, but no formal work has been done to identify the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder amongst adults.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32391 by Mr Frank McAveety on 15 January 2003, how it defines "relatively uncommon conditions".

Mr Frank McAveety: National information from general practice is currently estimated from a sample of GP practices covering around 8% of the Scottish population only (the CMR – Continuous Morbidity Recording - practices). GPs participating in CMR reported that less than 0.02% of their patients were seen for autistic spectrum disorder during 2001. This number is too small to provide a basis for deriving national estimates that are sufficiently precise for the task of identifying trends over the few years during which CMR data has been available or for producing the projected figures requested.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33061 by Mr Frank McAveety on 21 January 2003, whether there will be any financial implications of the revised proposal for a national service network for people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Mr Frank McAveety: The financial implications of the revised proposal for a national service network for people with autistic spectrum disorders have still to be clarified by the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society.

Care of Elderly People

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish an updated version of the Report on care home costs for older people in Scotland by the National Review Group.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include the costs of water rates in any recalculation of care home costs in any updated version of the Report on care home costs for older people in Scotland by the National Review Group.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have no plans to update the National Review Group Report. The group was established to conduct a review of the costs associated with providing nursing and residential home care for older people in Scotland and to determine a framework for appropriate fee levels for application from 1 April 2002 and beyond. We will, in partnership with local authorities, shortly be negotiating with the care home sector on the level of fees to be paid to homes from 1 April 2003. An increase in real terms will be applied to the revenue element of existing care home costs to take account of various pressures, including water rates.

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fine local authorities that fail to provide sufficient long-term care for elderly patients.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have no such plans. The Executive provided £20 million in 2002-03 for local authority and NHS partnerships to implement Local Joint Action Plans to meet specific targets for reducing delayed discharge. Latest figures for delayed discharge are the lowest since counting began. Our emphasis is on joint responsibility and partnership between the NHS and local authorities, and for whole systems approaches to ensuring the right range of services is in place locally to support older people. Our national range and capacity review of community care services for older people will include a strategic review of the care home sector, and we expect this work to support the activities of partnerships locally.

Cities

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what City Growth Fund money can be spent on and whether ministerial approval is required before any money from the fund can be spent.

Ms Margaret Curran: It is for city councils, liaising with neighbouring councils and other stakeholders, to identify priorities for spending in their City Visions. We intend to work in partnership with councils in developing and agreeing these. Once that has been achieved funds will be released.

Drug Misuse

Mr Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what success police forces have had in seizing shipments of cocaine in the last five years.

Hugh Henry: Detailed drug seizure information, including a breakdown of cocaine seizures by the Scottish Police Service, is collated and published annually by the Home Office and can be found on their website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/drugs1.html .

European Funding

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full text of the letter to it from the European Union (EU) regarding EU structural funds for the Highlands and Islands that the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services referred to in The Herald  on 3 December 2002.

Peter Peacock: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures were provisional, and have since been withdrawn by ONS. The letter from the Commission confirmed my view that retrospective consideration of eligibility is not possible, and followed a telephone call I received from Commissioner Barnier’s Deputy Head of Cabinet. Both the call and the e-mail attaching the letter expressed regret and apologised for the earlier misunderstandings caused by the Commission.

  I have arranged for a copy of the Commission’s letter to be sent to you. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25841).

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total annual cost is of its subsidy to public service obligation routes, broken down by route.

Lewis Macdonald: The amount of subsidy paid for each individual route on which public service obligations have been imposed by the Scottish Executive is commercially confidential.

Ferry Services

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to take forward its proposals to tender the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Lewis Macdonald: In June 2002 I announced draft proposals for tendering the ferry services currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne to bring these into line with EU rules. These included proposals for Gourock to Dunoon which involved including this route within a single contract covering the whole of the Clyde and Hebrides network and restricting the service to passenger-only, using passenger-only vessels.

  Within that framework, we concluded that the Gourock to Dunoon route had to be restricted in line with the passenger-only Public Service Obligation (PSO) which ruled out subsidy in respect of a vehicle service, given the presence of an unsubsidised operator on an adjacent route.

  We have received a wide response to consultation. Over 400 responses (including standard responses) have been received and the vast majority of these made representations in relation to Gourock to Dunoon. I have also met with local representatives on a number of occasions and we received a number of ideas for other models which might be consistent with the EU rules.

  In particular, a number of those who responded suggested there could be more flexibility in relation to Gourock to Dunoon if it were taken out of the single contract and tendered separately.

  We have discussed the way forward with the European Commission and were joined in these discussions by representatives of Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde Councils. As a result, we have identified a way in which we can keep open the possibility of a vehicle service operating on the route between Gourock and Dunoon Piers. This will involve:

  tendering the Gourock to Dunoon passenger subsidy separately;

  allowing bidders to bid on the basis of either a passenger-only or a combined passenger and vehicle service;

  allowing operators the freedom to bring their own vessel solutions, with no binding to the VesCo’s vessels. This will enable operators to bid on the basis which they feel is most advantageous;

  maintaining the restrictions (in terms of frequency and length of operating day) that have applied to the Gourock to Dunoon service currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne for a number of years to ensure the unsubsidised service close by is not undermined, and

  determining the outcome on the basis of the lowest cost bid (in line with the rules for PSOs), regardless of whether this is for a passenger or combined service.

  In this way, there is the opportunity for a combined service to win the contract. However, there can be no guarantee that this will be the outcome since this will depend on the bids submitted.

  The next step will be to develop a separate service specification for Gourock to Dunoon and this will be published for consultation in due course. Consequential amendments will require to be made to the main service specification and I will be announcing decisions in relation to other comments made on the draft service specification for the remainder of the network later this year.

First Minister

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the civil service management functions are for which the First Minister is solely responsible relating to the staff of the Scottish Administration

Mr Jack McConnell: The functions relating to civil service management which have been delegated to the First Minister alone are the function to prescribe the qualifications for the appointment of staff in the Scottish Administration (with the exception of the Fast Stream) and the function to determine the number and grading of posts outside the senior civil service and the terms and conditions of employment of such staff. The delegation is subject to the condition that the First Minister complies with the provisions of the Civil Service Management Code .

Fisheries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to my supplementary question during the ministerial statement on fisheries on 8 January 2003 ( Official Report , c 16700) that fishermen will have 15 days at sea if no further decommissioning takes place, what the current position is regarding the decommissioning of fishing vessels in the light of the recent correspondence from EC Commissioner Hans Fischler to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Elliot Morley, and the views of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and whether compensation for decommissioning will be met by HM Treasury.

Ross Finnie: Under the terms of Annex XVII of Council Regulation (EC) 2341/2002, member states are required to report progress on decommissioning to the Commission during 2003. The number of days at sea available to vessels is subject to review by the Commission in the light of that.

  Regulations on a Scottish decommissioning scheme will shortly be laid before the Parliament. We are aiming to open the scheme to applications during February. Expenditure cover for the scheme will be met by the Scottish Executive.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W32091 by Ross Finnie on 7 January 2003, whether any representatives of the fishing industry were present at any of the meetings specified and, if so, which representatives were present and at which meetings.

Ross Finnie: No industry representatives were present at the meetings on 26 November and 12 December. Industry representatives were present at the meetings on 11 November, 14 November and 2 December. However, these meetings were organised by the North East of Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership, Euan Robson MSP and Tavish Scott MSP respectively. Accordingly, detailed information on who attended is not held centrally.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence that Johne’s disease is transmissible to humans.

Malcolm Chisholm: It has been claimed for many years that Johne’s disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium var paratuberculosis  (MAP) is at least part of the cause of Crohn’s Disease in people. The evidence is inconclusive. The UK Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens reviewed the evidence in 1992 and 1998. On both occasions they concluded that a causal link could not be established on current evidence.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the classification of NHS beds has changed to include other items, such as trolleys, reclining chairs and couches, as has been reported in respect of the NHS in England.

Malcolm Chisholm: National definitions are provided by the Information and Statistics Division (ISD) in the Definitions and Codes for the NHS Scotland (6th Update April 2002) Manual. The manual is available at:

  www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/isd_services/NHSiS_services/National_data_standards/defsmanual.htm.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek legal advice on the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states with regard to its implementation in Scots law and the powers it has with regard to the implementation of the Decision.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32395 on 9 January 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search ..

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why the breach of an electronic tagging order is referred to the courts only after three breaches.

Hugh Henry: Serious incidents of breach of a restriction of liberty order which demonstrate wilful and measurable non-compliance of the order are reported to the courts within 24 hours of their occurrence. Other more minor violations are reported to the courts cumulatively so that the courts can consider their impact in relation to overall compliance with the order.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an offender that commits a crime whilst also breaching an electronic tagging order is automatically referred to the courts for breach of the order.

Hugh Henry: An offender who commits a crime whilst also breaching a restriction of liberty order will be dealt with by the police for the crime. The breach of the restriction of liberty order will be reported to the court. Breach of a restriction of liberty order is not in itself a crime.

Ministerial Visits

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official visits by ministers there have been to each parliamentary constituency in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002.

Patricia Ferguson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mortality

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the proportion has been of early deaths in (a) Scotland, (b) the East Dunbartonshire Council area and (c) the East Renfrewshire Council area of the period referred to in Table 4.1 of the Review of Scotland’s Cities - the Analysis .

Malcolm Chisholm: The information in Table 4.1 of the Review of Scotland's Cities - the Analysis is sourced from the European Urban Audit . Whilst we have not been able to obtain the precise definition used by the European Urban Audit  for "early deaths", it appears to be deaths in the under 65s from heart disease and respiratory illness as a proportion of all deaths in 1996. An attempt has been made to replicate this definition; however, it should be noted that the figures generated for Glasgow and Edinburgh (shown in the table) do not match exactly those published by the European Urban Audit.

  Early Deaths as a Proportion of All Deaths, 1996.

  Deaths Aged Under 65 from Heart Disease and Respiratory Illness.

  
 
Total Deaths:All Ages
Deaths Aged Under 65 From Heart Disease and Respiratory Illness
 Number
Percentage  Scotland
60,654 3,745
6.2  Glasgow
8,646 693
8.0  Edinburgh
5,261 285
5.4  East Dumbartonshire
1,015 71
7.0  East Renfrewshire
840 48
5.7 

  Source: Registrar General (Scotland).

  Heart disease and respiratory illness were defined from the International Classification of Diseases, Version 9, codes 390-429, 460-519 respectively.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the short-life action group considering the most effective ways of improving care and quality of life for people with ME/chronic fatigue syndrome and when the group will report.

Mr Frank McAveety: The group's report will be published very shortly.

Planning

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that there is site sharing in respect of the roll-out of telephone masts for the O2 Airwave service.

Des McNulty: The Executive’s planning policy on radio telecommunications encourages site sharing where it represents the best environmental solution. The additional equipment should be designed and positioned as sensitively as possible, though technical constraints may limit the possibilities. In some cases the shared use of an existing mast might require an increase in its height and visibility.

  Mast and site sharing options should be explored by developers and planning authorities, to see whether such an option can provide a solution for individual proposals. Developers should provide information on the reasons for their chosen solution to the planning authority to support their planning application.

Planning

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many telephone mast applications by mobile phone operators were (a) made, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) granted on appeal and (e) refused on the grounds of health and safety and what the average time was for an application to be processed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Des McNulty: The following tables, 1 and 2, show information on planning applications for radio telecommunications infrastructure, including ground-based masts, additional antennas, roof-based masts and equipment housing. The figures show for each planning authority the numbers of planning applications received, the numbers granted permission, the number refused permission, the numbers refused permission on grounds related to health and safety and the average time taken to determine the planning applications.

  The information provided on planning applications has only been collected from planning authorities since the introduction of the new legislation governing new telecommunications development since 23 July 2001 and data for the final quarter of 2002 is not yet available. Completion of the returns by planning authorities is voluntary, and there are therefore gaps in the returns.

  The following table 3 shows the number of planning appeal decisions in which planning permission was granted for telecommunications development for each of the years 1999 to 2002 for each planning authority area:

  Table 1: Planning Applications Data; 23 July 2001 to 31 December 2001

  
  Applications 
Made Granted
Refused Refused 
on Health and Safety Grounds1 Average 
Time Taken to Determine (Days)  Aberdeen 
City 22
8 0
0 62
 Aberdeenshire
20 14
1 0
56  Angus
11 6
0 0
45  Argyll and 
Bute 22
9 0
0 64
 Clackmannanshire
3 0
1 0
34  Dumfries and 
Galloway 20
13 0
0 37
 Dundee City
13 4
1 0
55  East Ayrshire
17 9
2 0
63  East Dunbartonshire
20 5
2 1
70  East Lothian*
4 0
0 *
*  East Renfrewshire
12 2
1 1
63  Edinburgh
97 31
8 0
57  Eilean Siar
13 10
0 0
52  Falkirk
16 6
0 0
68  Fife
35 19
1 0
40  Glasgow City*
80 *
* *
*  Highland
41 17
0 0
92  Inverclyde
6 2
0 0
94  Midlothian
7 3
1 0
59  Moray
6 1
0 0
68  North Ayrshire
16 4
1 0
45  North Lanarkshire*
37 *
* *
*  Orkney
2 0
0 0
0  Perth and Kinross
16 1
0 0
28  Renfrewshire
25 14
0 0
90  Scottish Borders
18 12
0 0
45  Shetland
1 1
0 0
37  South Ayrshire
24 11
0 0
62  South Lanarkshire*
63 *
* *
*  Stirling
15 9
0 0
49  West Dunbartonshire
9 0
1 0
54  West Lothian
20 3
5 1
65  Scotland
711 214
25 3
592  Missing/Incomplete 
Return* 


  Notes:

  1. This data also includes applications that were refused on grounds relating to health concerns but which did not refer explicitly to "health and safety".

  2. This total was derived from dividing the total of days spent determining by the number of applications received through Scotland as a whole.

  Table 2: Planning Applications Data; 1 January 2002 to 30 September 2002


Applications Made Granted
Refused Refused 
on Health and Safety Grounds1 Average 
Time Taken to Determine (Days)  Aberdeen 
City 32
23 5
0 83
 Aberdeenshire
20 24
1 1
76  Angus
12 10
1 0
55  Argyll and 
Bute 34
20 1
0 58
 Clackmannanshire
1 1
1 1
67  Dumfries and 
Galloway 28
22 1
0 70
 Dundee City
14 9
4 0
78  East Ayrshire
14 12
4 2
112  East Dunbartonshire
19 17
4 3
71  East Lothian
20 15
3 0
73  East Renfrewshire
9 10
2 0
92  Edinburgh
135 101
17 0
76  Eilean Siar
6 4
0 0
0  Falkirk
30 11
8 2
75  Fife
37 25
7 2
61  Glasgow City*
99 *
* *
*  Highland*
8 4
4 1
145  Inverclyde
7 6
1 0
67  Midlothian
3 5
1 0
52  Moray
7 10
0 0
61  North Ayrshire
16 17
3 0
57  North Lanarkshire
34 38
6 2
86  Orkney*
* *
* *
*  Perth and Kinross
22 21
3 0
102  Renfrewshire
29 24
6 0
80  Scottish Borders
12 13
1 0
98  Shetland
2 0
0 0
0  South Ayrshire
18 20
3 0
89  South Lanarkshire
65 49
0 0
82  Stirling
15 11
2 0
72  West Dunbartonshire
19 8
8 0
68  West Lothian
34 21
4 0
66  Scotland
801 551
101 14
752  Missing/Incomplete 
Return* 


  Notes:

  1. This data also includes applications that were refused on grounds relating to health concerns but which did not refer explicitly to "health and safety".

  2. This total was derived from dividing the total of days spent determining by the number of applications received through Scotland as a whole.

  Table 3: Planning Appeals - Developments Granted Planning Permission on Appeal


01-01-99 to 31-12-99 01-01-00 
to 31-12-00 01-01-01 to 31-12-01
01-01-02 to 31-12-02 
Aberdeen City 1
- 1
1  Aberdeenshire
- -
1 1
 Angus -
- -
-  Argyll and Bute
- -
- 1
 Clackmannanshire
- -
- -
 Dumfries and Galloway
- -
- -
 Dundee City
- -
- 1
 East Ayrshire
- -
- 1
 East Dunbartonshire
- -
- 2
 East Lothian
- -
- -
 East Renfrewshire
- -
- 1
 Edinburgh
- -
1 2
 Eilean Siar
- -
- -
 Falkirk
- -
2 2
 Fife -
1 -
3  Glasgow City
- -
- 1
 Highland
1 -
- 1
 Inverclyde
- -
- -
 Midlothian
- -
- 2
 Moray -
- -
-  North Ayrshire
- -
- -
 North Lanarkshire
- 3
4 1
 Orkney
- -
- -
 Perth and Kinross
- 1
3 3
 Renfrewshire
- 1
1 2
 Scottish Borders
- -
- -
 Shetland
- -
- -
 South Ayrshire
- -
- -
 South Lanarkshire
- 1
- 3
 Stirling
- -
- -
 West Dunbartonshire
- -
- -
 West Lothian
- -
- 1
 Scotland
2 7
13 30


  Note:

  - Indicates no appeal decisions granting planning permission made.

Planning

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the charging policy in respect of planning applications for agricultural buildings.

Des McNulty: There are no current plans to review the charging policy for agricultural buildings. Fee levels for all planning applications are, however, kept under constant review.

Police

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding, including any agreed changes to the funding formula and additional grants, was received by each police force in each of the last three years and is projected to be allocated to each police force in each of the next two years, expressed per head of population in each police force area and what the average of such funding was per head of population in Scotland as a whole in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is shown in the following table.

  Actual and Planned Budget Per Head of Population

  
 Force Area
2000-01 2001-02
2002-03 2003-04
2004-05  Central
£122 £129
£134 £146
£151  Dumfries 
and Galloway £148
£155 £159
£169 £177
 Fife £120
£127 £129
£143 £151
 Grampian
£122 £132
£140 £151
£160  Lothian and 
Borders £152
£161 £171
£182 £190
 Northern
£142 £156
£159 £170
£177  Strathclyde
£158 £170
£178 £192
£201  Tayside
£151 £160
£165 £177
£183  Scotland
£147 £157
£165 £177
£185 

  Notes:

  (i) The figures include police Grant Aided Expenditure and, in those years where it was paid separately, additional funding provided to authorities for additional recruitment, DNA testing and the National Intelligence Model. Other additional funding provided to forces for specific purposes (for example in 2001-02 and 2002-03 for additional pressures post 11 September) has not been included. The figures do not include capital expenditure by forces.

  (ii) Estimated population at 30 June 2000 has been used to calculate the figures for 2000-01. Estimated population at 30 June 2001 has been used for the remainder of the table.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been made available to Lothian and Borders Police because of increased security risks from terrorist attacks.

Mr Jim Wallace: Funding levels for Scottish police forces are currently at record levels. As a result of the spending review, the Grant Aided Expenditure for Lothian and Borders Police will rise by almost 20% between 2002-03 and 2005-06 (from £149 million to £179 million).

  In addition to payment of police grant, Lothian and Borders Police has been given an extra £660,000 over 2001-02 and 2002-03 towards the cost of dealing with increased security risks.

Population

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to address the declining population and, in particular, whether any consideration has been given to introducing measures that would encourage people that have left Scotland to return.

Lewis Macdonald: The projected modest decline in Scotland’s population is attributable to the declining birth rate rather than net out-migration. Measures that ease the financial and practical difficulties faced by parents will help to address the declining birth rate. These include the UK Government’s Child and Working Families tax credit policies and the Executive’s Childcare Strategy and investments in the provision of pre-school care and education for three- and four-year-olds.

  As well as seeking to address this major demographic concern, the Executive recognises the need to retain and attract people, including those who have previously left Scotland, with the skills necessary to enable the Scottish economy to grow and compete internationally. The Executive, working with the Enterprise networks and Scottish Development International, has a number of initiatives to link Scottish businesses with successful Scots now living overseas and to attract those with appropriate skills to live and work in Scotland.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31971 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 December 2002, when it expects to make an announcement on the site for the new private-build, private-operate prison.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  When the SPS submits the appropriate planning notification to the relevant authority.

Public Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27513 by Lewis Macdonald on 7 August 2002, what subsequent progress has been made by local authorities in establishing Quality Partnerships and Quality Contract Schemes with bus operators under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.

Lewis Macdonald: The development of Quality Partnership schemes and Quality Contract schemes under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 is a matter for individual local transport authorities. While authorities regularly discuss issues of joint concern with bus operators in their area, the Executive is not aware of any such schemes being introduced to date.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) amount and (b) percentage of support to ScotRail has been paid to Railtrack in track access charges in each year since 1997, broken down into (i) maintenance and renewals by contractors and (ii) any other charges and what estimates have been made of the (1) amount and (2) percentage of support for the new franchise operator to be spent on such charges.

Lewis Macdonald: Full details of ScotRail’s income and expenditure can be found in the statutory accounts of ScotRail Railways Limited which are filed at Companies House.

  Future track access charges levied will be set by the Rail Regulator.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Borders Railway Forum on whether any private bill on the Borders railway will contain provisions that charge expenditure on the Scottish Consolidated Fund; what agreement it has given to any such expenditure; what advice it has given the forum on the bill not progressing beyond its Preliminary Stage in the Parliament if no such funding is made available, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to S1O-6230 on 16 January 2003, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm.

Recycling

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has given to (a) each local authority and (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in each of the last three years to develop kerbside recycling schemes.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has allocated funding specifically for waste management through the Strategic Waste Fund to assist local authorities to implement the Area Waste Plans, including developing kerbside recycling schemes. In March 2001, £3 million was distributed between all authorities specifically for improving recycling and composting and in December 2002, a further £6 million. I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-12350 on 23 January 2001 and S1W-32238 on 4 December 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search..

  Authorities drew up their own plans for use of this funding and a number of these include kerbside recycling.

  Local authorities are also allocated significant general resources through revenue grant but it is up to each authority how it allocates these resources to meet local needs and priorities. Finance Circulars, held within the Parliament’s Reference Centre, will give details of individual authority revenue grant allocations and the relevant Bib. numbers are as follows:

  Finance Circular 9/1999, 2000-01 Local Government Finance Settlement (Bib. number 8310).

  Finance Circular 3/2001, Revised Local Government Settlements 2001-02 to 2003-04 (Bib. number 20316).

  Finance Circular 7/2002, Revised Local Government Finance Settlement 2002-03 (Bib. number 20316).

  The Executive provided £17.3 million in financial year 2000-01, £23.47 million in 2001-02 and £25.98 million in 2002-03 in grant aid to SEPA; but no element of this is ring fenced for a specific purpose.

Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given local authorities to implement the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Mr Frank McAveety: From 1 April 2002 local authorities have been required to pay fees to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission) to register their own care services. The transfer of authorities’ regulatory functions to the Care Commission from that date necessitated a corresponding transfer of funds from local authorities to the Commission. The amount transferred (£5.68 million) took into account the fact that local authorities would have received income from registration fees paid by service providers. In addition, some of the funding was left with authorities to allow them to pay registration fees to the Care Commission for their own services, and to cover some residual staffing and accommodation costs.

  Care services are now inspected against national care standards. However, the Care Commission has discretion in applying those standards, taking into account the nature of the services being provided. For example, in the case of care homes for older people, where existing provision cannot meet the physical standards but is otherwise of good quality, specific criteria may be agreed with the Care Commission officers to allow existing rooms to remain in use. These arrangements apply equally to services delivered by local authorities and by the independent sector.

  The legislation and the national care standards require social care staff to be properly qualified and trained to carry out their roles in regulated care services. The £2.2 million Specific Grant for Social Work Training allocated to local authorities for 2002-03 was supplemented by an additional £3.5 million in the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce. This is specifically targeted at increasing the availability of training for social work and social care workers, as part of enhancing the qualifications of social work and social care staff in preparation for the establishment of the social services register, set up under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. It will also assist providers to meet the relevant national care standards.

  In addition, £9.2 million was allocated for the expansion and development of the early years workforce from 2002-04, with a further £6 million per annum committed during the period 2004-06. This funding is allocated through child care partnerships, and can be used for workforce expansion and development in the local authority, private and voluntary sectors.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a public private partnership is being considered as a method of finance for the construction and maintenance of the A8000 and what guidelines are being given to the Forth Estuary Transport Authority regarding such financing.

Lewis Macdonald: Responsibility for funding the A8000 upgrade project lies with the Forth Estuary Transport Authority. At their meeting on 21 June 2002, the authority decided to take the project forward as a Design and Build scheme, under traditional procurement arrangements.

Roads

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to local authorities regarding the frequency of road inspection in order to exercise local authorities’ reasonable duty of care.

Lewis Macdonald: A Code of Practice, Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance , was published by the Institution of Highways and Transportation in July 2001. It applies throughout the UK and is endorsed by COSLA. Responsibility for implementing the guidance in the code rests with individual local authorities.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27533 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 August 2002, in what year the Assignation Statement related to the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Toll Order 1992 in respect of the Skye Bridge was published; by whom it was made, and whether it was advertised in The Press and Journal  and, if so, on what date.

Lewis Macdonald: The Assignation Statement was made available for public inspection along with a draft of the Toll Order in October 1991, as required under Paragraph 14A(3) of Schedule 1 to the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The statement was made by the then Secretary of State for Scotland and set out his intentions with regard to the assignation of his rights to charge and collect tolls. A notice, dated 23 October 1991, detailing the places and times at which copies of the statement could be examined, was published in a number of newspapers including The Press and Journal .

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a growing rail freight industry plays an important role in developing Scotland's economic potential.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive recognises the important contribution rail freight makes to the economy and the environment, and will continue to support the rail freight industry in Scotland through the administration of the Freight Facilities and Track Access Grant schemes.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the contribution of awards for freight facilities grants and track access grants to achieving of Her Majesty's Government's target of 80% growth in rail freight traffic by 2010.

Lewis Macdonald: We achieved our own target of making awards of Freight Facilities Grant, by March 2002, that will remove 18 million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads each year. We are also confident of meeting our future targets of making awards by March 2003 and March 2004 that will remove 21 and 23 million lorry miles respectively from Scotland’s roads each year.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public subsidy (a) freight and (b) passenger rail operations received in 2001-02.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive did not pay any rail freight operating subsidies in 2001-02. However, during this period it disbursed Freight Facilities Grant payments totalling £8,064,558. The amount paid in 2001-02 for passenger rail operations was £150.8 million.